Releasing device for ships&#39; boats.



PATENTED DEG. 8, 1903.

` W. H. ROTEWELL.

RBLEASING DEVICE POR SHIPS' BOATS.

APPLICATION lFILED APB.. 16, .1903.

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' No. 746,169. PATENTED 1130.8, 1903.

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RELEASING DEVICE PoR SHIPS BOATS.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 16, 1903.

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f UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

.PATIENT OFFICE. A

RELEASING DEVICE FOR SHIPS BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters vPatent N o. 746,169, dated December 8, 1903. Application filed April 16, 1903. Serial No. 152,881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern? Beit known that I, WILLIAM HENRY ROTH- WELL, R. N. R., master mariner, commander in the service of the British India Steam Navigation Company, whose registered address is No. 9 Throgmorton avenue, London, England, E. C., have invented a certain new and useful' `Improved Releasing Device for ShipsBo'ats and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact: description of the in- 'vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains-to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices whereby a,

-the davits to Aswing readily outboardinto'pol sition for lowering the boat. For the purpose direction opposite to that of Fig. 2.

of describing how this desirable effect may be practically accomplished reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which` g v Figure l is an elevation showing a pair of one end thereof, the left hand being the outboard side of the boat. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same support as viewed vfrom inboard looking outward. Fig. 3 is a side ele-i vation of the same support as viewed in a Fig. 4 is a part view of an end elevation of a modified 'form of the collapsible support, Fig. 5 being a side elevation of the samemodi'cation as seen from inboard. Fig. 6 is a section along 6 6 of Fig. Il. Fig. 7 isanl alternative construction to that of Fig. 5. Figs. 8 and 9 show, on a larger scale. the device for the detachment of the grip and lashing by which the boat is normally rigidly secured. Figs. 10 and l1 are views of additional subsidiary devices for insuring the collapse of the supports at the desired instant when the boat is required to befreely suspended from thedavits.

In-the iigures,'ctct are-chocks which are shaped to fit the profile of the boat to` be supported. The chocks are secured to a crossbeam b by means of hinges c c on one side and studs d d and, links e e on the other side.

The 'beam b is secured by bolts ff at each of its two ends to a' plate g, which is' normally sustained by a collapsible support, but from ,whichby the angular movement of a lever h the support can be instantaneously thrustv away, causing the beam b and chocks a a to fallA prostrate on the deck of th'eves'sel or wharf` by turning outward from the middle,

toward the ends of the boat, thus permitting the boat to be suspended from its davits. As

shown in Figs; 1, 2,'and 3, the'collapsible sup-1 portv consists of a casting la, which isbol'ted to the deck, and a plate Z,`which is united to 7c by a hinge m. The plate gis hinged at n to the casting 7c and is normally supported by resting on the upper edge of Z. When the vplatel is thrust outward, the plate g'drops by turning about the hinge n, the beam 'b descendswith g, and the chocks a a fall by turning outward toward the end ofthe boat, as

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Y

The devicepwhereby the support is caused to collapse when required and to be normally secured in the erect position consistsof a lever h, which is secured to the inboard end of la shaft 19, which is mounted in a groove formed in the beam b. 4 This lever h is, on the one hand', provided -with a hook q, which secures the erect position ofthe support under normal circumstances, ashoulder `at the hinge m preventing the platefl from f being moved inward beyondthe'vertical position, and, on the other hand, witha cam r, wherewith the supporting hinged plate Zis thrust aside when desired. The plate Z h'as a lug s riveted thereto. This is embraced by the hook q, so that theoutward movement of l is prevented until the leverhhas been rotated sufiiciently to withdraw the hook q from underneath the lug s.

A continuation of the` movement of the lever h will cause the cam fr l vto thrust the lug s, and lwith it the-plate l,

To assist in outward and let the chocks fall. the collapse and to lessen the strain on the parts, the chocks a' a are hinged tothe beam b, and until the appropriate moment they are .alsoy clasped by the links e e to the studs dv cl.

The link e/ has a horizontal arm i projecting in the way oi' the lever h. are. connected together bythe link u. Ou

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All the links e e depressing the lever h the armi Will be thrust downward and the links withdrawn from the studs. i; is a guide for the arm t. To further facilitate the outward angular movement of the chocks, the inner upper edge is rounded. The supports for both ends of the beam b are caused to collapse at the same instant by securing to the other end of the shaft p a piece provided with a corresponding hook q and a cam r.

The construction of the collapsible support may be modified, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the casting 7o is replaced by the deckfastening 7c', to which are pivoted two vertical plates k2 and Z. The plate f to which the beam b is secured, rests on the upper edges of both 7a2 and Z. The hinged plate Z is secured normally in position and thrust away at the desired moment in the manner previously del will be followed by the outward thrust of the plate Z, permitting the left side, Fig. 5, of the plate g to drop, whereon the pressure on the plate 7a2 will be obliquely applied and cause it to give way by turning to the right, completing the collapse of the support. In Fig. 7 is shown a modification ofthe construction of this form of the collapsible sup` port in which there are two shafts p and p', each carrying a lever with ahook and a cam, whereby normally the plates Z and 7a2 are secured in the erect position and displacedA when required, as previously described.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, the device by which the detachment is effected of the grips and lashing which secures the boat will be described. w is an eyebolt which is secured to the deck of the vessel or to the wharf. Into this is passed a jointed slip-hook the lip of which is supported on a spur u', which is formed in one with the lug s. When it is desired to lash the boat Iirmly in place on its chocks, the slip-hook is inserted within the eyebolt w, as shown, and the lashing y hauled taut in the usual way. When it is desired to free the boat in order that it may be lowered overboard, the tackle by which the boat is suspended from the davits is first ports, as previously described. The dropping of the plate Z takes away the support rrt'of the lip of the slip-hook x, which thereupon draws through the eyebolt w, and the boat will be left suspended on the davits entirely free to be swung outboard.

By making the spur u' in one with the lug s instead of simply securing it to the beam a certain amount of resistance will be offered to the movement of the lever h and the displacement of plate Z, and thus avoid an unintentional displacement; but the gripping device will be sufciently yielding to a lateral force to permit of the necessary small :movement of Z to let down the chocks. Only a small displacement of plate l is required to let down the chocks, and this will take place while the movement of the lug s is nearly horizontal.

By the heat of the sun or otherwise the chocks are liable to get Strick to the boat. This should be guarded against by blaclcleading the contact-surface of the chocks, and to still further insure their fall when desired devices shown in Figs. l() and 11 may be added, whereby the chocks are pulled away from the boat. A short chain z is secured to the deck by an eyebolt and to the shaft p in such a way that on rotating the shaft by the lever h the chain will wrap around the shaft, and thus be subjected to tension, the force of which will drag the shaft downward and with it the beam and chocks. The other device, which effects the same purpose, consists of a stud 2, which projects from the cam r, and a projection 3, which is secured to the lug s. On the rotation of the lever h the stud 2 inserts itself underneath the projection 3 and forms a temporary fulcrum to the lever h, enabling the thrust which is applied to it to force the shaft p downward and with it the beam and chocks, the hook q allowing the plate Z to be displaced far enough to clear the edge of the plate g, so that it may be dragged down in the event of the chock sticking to the boat.

In order that the supports of both ends of the boat may collapse at the same time, ropes fastened to alever h at each end of the boat are led to a central point and pulled together.

I claim- 1. In combination in a releasing device for boats, chocks for holding the boat, a beam supporting the chocks, supports for said beam and a lever for collapsing said supports, sub stantially as described.

2. In combination in a releasing device for boats, chocks for the boat, a beam supporting the chocks, collapsible supports for the beam comprising a number of plates hinged together, a lever, a shaft connected thereto and means on the lever and shaft for collapsing said support, substantially as described.

3. In combination in a device for releasing boats, collapsible supports therefor, an eyebolt, lashings for the boat, a jointed slip-hook secured to the lashings and adapted to enter said eyebolt, a spur projecting from the support, said spur engaging the slip-hook to retain it in the eyebolt, and means for collapsing said supports whereby the spur will be disengaged from the hook and the latterwithdrawn from the eyebolt, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a device for releasing boats, chocks for holding the boat, a beam supporting the chocks, a number of plates hinged together forming a rectangular support for the beam, one of said supports being at each end of the beam, a lever, a shaft connected thereto, hooks carried by said lever and shaft, lugs secured to one plate of each series IIO of supporting-plates, said lugs being engaged by said hooks when the supports are in normal position but being disengaged therefrom when the supports collapse, a series of links secured to the beam, a link u connecting said links together, a series of studs secured to the checks and adapted vto engage With the links, one'of said links having an arm projecting into the path of the lever whereby when the to lever is operated said links will be disengaged from the studs, and cams carried by said lever v and its shaft for collapsing the supportingplates, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribingi x 5 Witnesses. l

W. H. ROTHWELL.

Witnesses:

HoRMUsJEE R. PATEL, VERSIMAL TELARAM. 

